The present invention relates to a communication terminal which executes a call operation in a state where a destination party information is displayed on,a display so that a call can be placed to a destination party related to the destination party information displayed on the display, and more particularly to a communication terminal which operability is improved by devising management of a destination party information for a display and the display mode.
A conventional communication terminal, such as a portable radio telephone, has a function to execute a call operation to a destination party in a state where the destination party information is displayed on a display, so that a call can be placed to the destination party related to the destination party information displayed on the display.
In such a communication terminal, a redial function is known, where information input by key operation is stored in a memory, and when the same information is to be input, the stored information is read by a simple key operation and the read information is displayed on the display, so as to improve the call operation.
In a redial function, for example, a destination party telephone number which is input when a call is placed, is stored in a memory, and when a call is to be placed to the same party again, the telephone number stored in the memory is called up on the screen of the display for placing the call.
A telephone directory function is also known, where a plurality of telephone numbers are stored in a memory, a target telephone number for placing a call is selected from the plurality of stored telephone numbers by pressing a retrieval key, and the telephone number is called up on the display for placing the call.
Now, the redial function of a conventional communication terminal will be explained referring to FIG. 18.
FIG. 18 shows the relationship between telephone numbers and memory areas (addresses) in a memory for implementing the redial function of a communication terminal.
In FIG. 18, a destination party telephone number E used for the last call is stored in a memory area xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d, a destination party telephone number D used in the first call before last is stored in a memory area xe2x80x9c2xe2x80x9d, and in the same manner, destination party telephone numbers C, B and A used in the second, third and fourth calls before last are stored in memory areas xe2x80x9c3xe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9c4xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9c5xe2x80x9d respectively.
To place a call to the telephone number E in a state where the telephone numbers A to E are stored in the memory areas xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d to xe2x80x9c5xe2x80x9d, as FIG. 18(a) shows, the redial button is pressed once to call up the telephone number E stored in the memory area xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d, then the call button is pressed to place a call to the telephone number E.
If the redial button is pressed again after calling up the telephone number E stored in the memory area xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d by pressing the redial button, then the telephone number D stored in the memory area xe2x80x9c2xe2x80x9d is called up. To place a call to the telephone number B, press the redial button four times to call up the telephone number B stored in the memory area xe2x80x9c4xe2x80x9d, then press the call button.
When a call is placed to the telephone number B, the relationship between the memory areas and stored contents changes, as shown in FIG. 18(b), where the telephone number B is stored in the memory area xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d, so that the telephone number B is called up when the redial button is pressed once.
When a call is placed to a telephone number F, which is not stored in any one of the memory areas xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d to xe2x80x9c5xe2x80x9d, by normal button operation (pressing numeric buttons) after placing a call to the telephone number B, the relationship between the memory areas and stored contents becomes as shown in FIG. 18(c).
FIG. 18(c) shows the status where the telephone number F, which was used for the last call, is stored in the memory area xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d, the telephone numbers B, E, D and C stored in the memory areas xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d to xe2x80x9c4xe2x80x9d in the state shown in FIG. 18(b) are shifted to the memory areas xe2x80x9c2xe2x80x9d to xe2x80x9c5xe2x80x9d respectively, and the telephone number A, stored in the memory area xe2x80x9c5xe2x80x9d in the state shown in FIG. 18(b), is erased, and in this way, the destination party telephone numbers used in the last five calls are always stored in the memory.
The telephone numbers stored in the memory are often the telephone numbers frequently used, and operation is easier than an abbreviated dialing function since the telephone numbers can be called up merely by pressing the redial button, therefore this redial function is one function frequently used among the functions of a communication terminal.
However, if telephone numbers which are not frequently used are continuously called, all these telephone numbers which are not used frequently are stored in the memory to store telephone numbers for the redial function, while the telephone numbers which are frequently used are erased. To place a call to such an erased telephone number which is frequently used, the user must execute a call operation using normal numeric buttons or the abbreviated dialing function, which is inconvenient for a user who often uses the redial function, and which also decreases the effectiveness of the redial function.
With the foregoing in view, it is an object of the present invention to provide a communication terminal which can manage destination party information to be stored as the redial information without erasing the destination party information which is frequently used.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a communication terminal where the operability of calling is improved by effectively storing and displaying destination party information used for calling.
To achieve the above objects, according to one aspect the invention includes a communication terminal which executes a call operation in a state where destination party information is displayed on a display so that a call is placed to a destination party related to the destination party information displayed on the display, comprising:
setting means for setting a first destination party information indicating at least one specific destination party;
storage means for storing the first destination party information set by the setting means and a second destination party information related to destination parties where a call was placed or received in the past; and
display control means for scrollably displaying the first destination party information and the second destination party information stored in the storage means on the display.
In a further aspect, the storage means stores the second destination party information sequentially in the storage means in a manner as to follow the first destination party information set by the setting means, based on a difference between a time when a call was placed in the past and a current time.
In another further aspect, the storage means stores the second destination party information sequentially in the storage means in a manner as to follow the first destination party information set by the setting means, based on a difference between a time when a call was placed in the past and a time when a call was received in the past and a current time.
In still another further aspect, the storage means stores the first destination party information in a fixed storage area.
In yet another further aspect, the storage means changes a storage area for storing the first destination party information when a new call is placed or received.
According to another further aspect, the storage means comprises a ring buffer where the second destination party information is rearranged in a sequence of newer calls placed or received and is stored from a first address, the first destination party information is stored in a last address, and the first address and the last address are logically linked, and the display control means controls the display of the second destination party information and the first destination party information stored in the ring buffer in the stored sequence on the display in a manner as to be able to scroll in two opposite directions.
In still another aspect, the display control means displays the second destination party information stored in the first address of the storage means as the destination party information to be displayed on the display means in an initial state.
According to yet another further aspect, the display control means displays the first or second destination party information stored in an address adjacent to an address, where the first or second destination party information of the storage means is stored, on the display, along with the first or second destination party information to be displayed on the display means.
According to another further aspect, the storage means comprises:
a first ring buffer where the first destination party information is stored in a sequence of significance from the first address and the first address and the last address are logically linked, and
a second ring buffer where the second destination party information is rearranged in a sequence of newer calls placed or received and is stored from the first address, and the first address and the last address are logically linked,
wherein the display control means controls the display of the second destination party information stored in the second ring buffer in the stored sequence in a manner as to be able to scroll in two opposite directions on the display, and at the same time, by switching to the second destination party information display, the display control means controls the display of the first destination party information stored in the first ring buffer in the stored sequenced in a manner as to be able to scroll in two opposite directions on the display.
In another aspect, the invention includes a communication terminal which executes a call operation in a state where destination party information is displayed on a display so that a call is placed to a destination party related to the destination party information displayed on the display, comprising:
counting means for counting an accumulated number of calls which were placed for a destination party information;
storage means for storing the destination party information sequentially based on a count measured by the counting means; and
display control means for scrollably displaying the destination party information stored in the storage means on the display.
In another further aspect, the counting means inhibits counting of subsequent calls when a plurality of calls is continuously placed for the same destination party information within a predetermined time.
According to another aspect, the invention includes a communication terminal which executes a call operation in a state where destination party information is displayed on a display so that a call is placed to a destination party related to the destination party information displayed on the display, comprising:
a plurality of ring buffers where the destination party information is sequentially stored from a first address and the first address and a last address are logically linked;
first selection means for selecting one of the plurality of ring buffers; and
second selection means for scrolling the second destination party information stored in a ring buffer selected by the selection means in two opposite directions on the display according to the stored sequence, so as to select a desired destination party information stored in the ring buffer.
According to another aspect, the first selection means is implemented by a horizontal scrolling function and the second selection means is implemented by a vertical scrolling function.
In a still further aspect, the horizontal scrolling function and the vertical scrolling function are implemented by a single key which has a four-directional control function.
In another further aspect, the destination party information stored in one of the plurality of ring buffers includes destination party information on destination parties where a call was placed or received in the past.
According to another further aspect, the destination party information stored in one of the plurality of ring buffers includes destination party information on an originator who placed a call but the call was not received and responded to.
In yet another further aspect, the destination party information stored in one of the plurality of ring buffers includes destination party information which is set by an operator.
In still another further aspect, the invention includes telephone directory storage means where telephone numbers and identification information for respective telephone numbers are stored, wherein the destination party information is identification information stored in the telephone directory storage means.